


A Helping Hand

by the_genderman



Series: My 2018 MCU Kink Bingo Fics [24]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Friends With Benefits, Hand Jobs, Idiots in Love, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, MCU Kink Bingo, Mutual Masturbation, Mutual Pining, Not that they realize it yet, Period Typical Attitudes, Pining, Pre-Captain America: The First Avenger, Pre-Serum Steve Rogers, just two buddies jerking each other off
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-11
Updated: 2018-11-11
Packaged: 2019-08-22 07:52:26
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,140
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16593833
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_genderman/pseuds/the_genderman
Summary: Though the phrase “friends with benefits” is relatively recent, the condition has a far longer history. Or. Steve strikes out with yet another date (not his fault, though), causing Bucky’s date to get up and leave, too. Bucky’s a little cheesed off, but he gets over it with a little help.





	A Helping Hand

**Author's Note:**

> I know I'm really awful about replying to comments, but please know that I appreciate each and every one of them.

“I can’t believe you did that,” Bucky says, slamming the apartment door behind him. Steve is already hanging his coat up on its peg.

“Look, if you’d heard what Olivia said, you’d’ve gotten up and left, too,” Steve counters, face reddened both from anger and the evening chill.

“Yeah, but could you have waited like five minutes before you started talking politics? Janet was _this_ close to agreeing to find somewhere a little more private,” Bucky huffs, holding up his hand, his fingers barely a quarter of an inch apart.

“I never told Janet she had to leave,” Steve replies, crossing his arms over his chest and slouching down onto the couch.

“It was a _double date_ , Steve,” Bucky says roughly. “They came together, they left together. That’s how these things work.”

“Well if all you wanted was to get lucky with Janet, why’d you bother dragging me along?”

“Why wouldn’t I bring you along? I wanted you to have a good time, too.”

Steve grumbles something that sounds like ‘ _it’s just a hand-job_ ’ and turns his body to face away from Bucky.

“Yeah, well at least it’d be someone _else’s_ hand for a change,” Bucky says, a bite in his voice as he turns and stalks to their shared bedroom.

\-------------------------

Bucky’s left the lights off as he lies in bed, curled up under a blanket, one hand down his pajama pants. He’s half hard, stroking absently, but with no real spirit behind the motion. He’s not sure how long he’s been at it, nor is he sure he cares. His mind is drifting and the mood’s gone. Janet’s fading out of his thoughts already. It’s a lot easier to focus—a lot easier to pretend—when he’s got a girl right there in front of him who’s interested in him. Then he can worry about making sure she gets everything she wants, not thinking about what if it were Steve in her place.

Stilling his hand, Bucky holds his breath and listens for Steve’s movements through their apartment. He doesn’t like to do this while Steve’s too close, like somehow he’ll know that Bucky’s thinking about him while he jerks off. The crackle of the gramophone needle finding a groove, the start of a record, and Bucky almost sighs with relief. Steve’s putting on some music to sketch by, to clear his mind and wind down for the night. The coast should be clear for long enough for him to rub one out and get cleaned up before Steve’s ready for bed. He rolls onto his back and bites his lip.

The door creaks open.

Bucky yelps. He pulls his hands out of his pants, but can’t hide the tell-tale lump in the blanket.

“Oh, good, you’re not done yet,” Steve says. Noting Bucky’s confused and somewhat annoyed expression, he hurries to clarify, tapping his fingertips together nervously. “I mean, I wanted to apologize. And, uh, I thought I could… you know… lend a hand. Not like _that_ , of course, but just to make up for making you miss out earlier. Help out a bit. I mean, my hands are small enough it would be easy to pretend. Nothing _weird_.”

Bucky sits up. He doesn’t want to sound _too_ eager to accept, but every secret part of him is screaming out to say yes, yes _please_.

“Yeah, of course, nothing _weird_ ,” Bucky says lightly, tossing his words out as casually as he can manage. He pushes the blanket off, shoves his pajama pants down, and scoots over to make room beside him on the narrow bed. “Just helping out. I get it. But why’d you put the music on?”

“Cover,” Steve shrugs, climbs up next to Bucky, and unbuttons his pants. 

“Of course, yeah,” Bucky nods. “And, well, fair’s fair, if you wanted, I could do the same for you.”

Steve glances up at him and Bucky can’t quite make out his expression in the darkened room. He hopes he didn’t go too far in offering to do the same for Steve.

“Yeah, that’s fair,” Steve agrees. He shimmies his pants down and reaches his hand slowly out towards Bucky, telegraphing his intentions.

Bucky nods and closes his eyes, leaning back against the headboard. He feels Steve’s fingers wrap around his cock; his grasp is firm, sliding slowly and easily. Bucky reaches over, slipping his arm under Steve’s, and placing his hand on Steve’s leg. The bare skin is warm under his touch and he slides his fingers up and in, into the hollow of Steve’s thigh, hoping his groping movements will be explained away by his closed eyes, not that he’s _trying_ to feel and remember as much of Steve as he can. 

As soon as Bucky’s fingers find Steve’s cock, Steve’s hand springs to life, pumping vigorously. His fingers slide over Bucky’s cockhead, smearing precome down the shaft. Bucky makes a fist of his free hand, bringing it up to muffle his moans. He tugs jerkily at Steve’s cock, fondling the shaft, stuttering his fingers over the glans, hoping he can make it as good for Steve as it is for him. He wishes he had the courage to get down on his knees and taste Steve, to use his mouth to pleasure him, to feel the heaviness of Steve’s cock on his tongue, to feel Steve’s fingers in his hair and to hear his name gasped out as Steve comes. But that would be to admit his true feelings, his true nature, and he doesn’t want to lose Steve by coming on too hard. Better to just accept this for what it is and enjoy it.

Bucky feels Steve press his forehead against his arm, hears his breaths coming quicker and louder. He imagines what it would be like if they were truly doing this together; it’s enough to push him over. He cries out into his clenched fist and orgasms, spilling into Steve’s hand. Moments later, Steve follows, reaching over reflexively to grasp at Bucky’s shirtsleeve, gasping into his arm. Bucky leans back, savoring the moment and letting Steve disentangle himself.

“So, uh, that was…” Steve trails off.

“Yeah,” Bucky agrees. 

Steve climbs out of bed, holding his pants up with his clean hand. Bucky sees him glance down as his other hand, the one with his come on it, and quickly look away. Bucky averts his eyes. There can be no afterglow here, no _feelings_ , just two friends helping each other out. Steve shuffles off to wash up and change for bed. Bucky reluctantly drags himself out of bed and waits at the bathroom door for Steve to finish. 

The door open, Steve emerges, and he looks up at Bucky, his face unreadable.

“Thank you,” Bucky nods and disappears into the tiny bathroom. 

“No problem,” Steve replies with a chuckle. “What are friends for?”


End file.
